A Chemical Reaction
by Deliciously-Devient
Summary: In which Tony Stark is an idiot and Bruce Banner misreads signals.
1. Chapter 1

Summary; In which Tony Stark is an idiot and Bruce Banner misreads signals.

Tony Stark was not a man of patience when it came to most things; in fact, there was nothing he was willing to wait any length of time for in the world. As soon as he was aware he wanted it, he bought, made or charmed his way into getting it, and that was that.

So when he realized that he wanted a certain stuttering science bro, he was, for once in his life, at a complete loss as to how he would go about acquiring what he wanted.

"One does not simply seduce Bruce Banner," Tony muttered to himself as he peered at the aforementioned science bro who was on the lab side of the lab, peering into a microscope with an intense frown on his face. The two had been down in the lab for two days straight, Tony trying to make his suit completely airtight and still just as articulated, Bruce studying his own regenerative properties as well as Steve's to try and recreate it to make a cure for some disease or other. Neither had eaten or slept much, too far in the 'science zone' as Clint had nicknamed it to care about such trivial matters, and Tony had had just about enough of getting nowhere with his new suit and Bruce getting more broody and unbrolike in his work.

He stood up, throwing the very expensive, very delicate microsauder wrench he had designed himself in the corner with a loud thunk, and threw his arms in the air with a loud huff.

"That's it, we're done science brochacho. Let's go get some shwarma," he said, wiping his sweaty, oil smeared forehead with the back of his hand. Bruce mmm'd at him, not looking up from his microscope, so lost in his notes and replicating cell regeneration theory he didn't notice that Tony had meandered over to his work station until the billionaire had yoinked his microscope out from under his eye.

"Hey!" Bruce exclaimed, blinking as he adjusted to the brighter light of regular sized life.

"Don't you 'hey' me, Mr. Angry. We've both been in the same spots for a good sixteen hours, and neither of us has showered or eaten in three times as long; we are going to shower, shave and get shwarma," he said firmly, and Bruce opened his mouth to argue, caught site of the expression on his friend's face, sighed and looked forlornly at his microscope, and sighed again as he rubbed his eyes.

"Fine," he conceded, and Tony grinned at him, clapping Bruce on the back.

"Trust me Bru, when we come back after dining on the sweet nectar of the gods, all the science will bow at our feet and reveal its secrets to us," he said, and Bruce snorted in amusement. Tony bounced on his heels, letting his hand fall from the other scientists' shoulder where it had lingered a millisecond too long, and grinned. "Meet you at ground level in thirty," he said, bounding out of the lab like an over excited child.

An hour, several hair products and a good happy time session later, Tony met an amused and slightly exasperated Bruce Banner at the ground level.

"Wow, you were almost on time," the doctor said drily, and Tony grinned, unashamed.

"JARVIS told me you didn't come down until ten minutes ago," the billionaire replied, enjoying the slight blush that dusted the other man's cheeks.

"Yes, well I made an educated guess from previously acquired data," Bruce quipped back as they made their way to the limo that was waiting on the street for them.

"Are you saying you've got my habits in a nice little formula?" Tony asked, his eyes glimmering with nine kinds of mischief. Bruce surprised him with a mischievous grin of his own, before sobering and looking Tony in the eyes.

"Actually, yes. I've taken into account the time you say you'll be ready, how much you want to do the activity you have to be on time for, who you're going to be with, and what I like to call the masturbation variable, which I obviously forgot to take into account today, or I would have been on time instead of early," he said, with an entirely straight face.

Tony found himself chuckling, and, being Tony, latched onto the only thing that had really stuck from Bruce's little speech.

"The masturbation variable?" He said, thinking that maybe, this was the time for a little innocuous flirting.

"Yes. I find that, on some days you say you're going to shower, its easier to tack on an additional ten to fifteen minutes of time to account for whatever it is you do in the shower that needs an additional ten to fifteen minutes than normal," Bruce said. Tony found himself laughing to cover the blush he could feel starting at the back of his neck, hopping out of the back of the limo as Happy pulled them up to his favorite shwarma stand.

"You've obviously put a lot of thought into my masturbation habits, good doctor," he said with a smirk.

As he had expected, the other genius blushed, and what a pretty blush it was, and oh, Tony would love to see that blush more, and see if it went all the way down Bruce's chest the way it looked to him, disappearing down his collar like some kind of temptation...

Bad Tony, he thought to himself as he shook his head and ordered for himself and Bruce.

"Well, it was either that or actually listen to the time you told me to be ready and wasting hours of my life," the doctor said dryly, causing Tony to grin.

"Time is just an illusion my good friend," he said, and turned back to the shwarma stand to get their steaming wraps of deliciousness. When he turned back to Bruce, he saw a tall, leggy blond bump into Bruce's back, causing him to stumble forward and almost knock into Tony.

"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry!" She exclaimed in an annoyingly high pitched voice that immediately grated on the billionaire's nerves. Bruce, being the kind man that he was, turned to the blond with a smile.

"That's quite alright," he said in the quiet, bashful way he did with all strangers.

"Oh my god, aren't you one of the Avengers? You're like, a hero!" she exclaimed and Bruce turned a nice shade of red.

"Oh, I don't know about that.." Bruce murmured, casting his eyes down and shuffling in an adorable way Tony associated with the times he called Bruce a genius, or praised his work. Tony felt the first stirrings of jealousy in his gut; only HE was supposed to make Bruce all bashful and adorable like that.

"No, you totally are! You like, saved my cousin from a fire like a month ago!" the blond said, and Bruce shuffled his feet again and Tony ground his teeth so hard he could have sworn he chipped one.

The genius/billionaire/playboy/philanthropist bit into his shwarma moodily as he continued to watch the dumb blond flirt with his Bruce until he couldn't take it anymore.

Bruce was HIS science bro! HIS best friend and potential science lover, and no one was supposed to see that special, embarrassed half smile that Tony thought had been only been for him.

"Excuse me," he said, insinuating his body between Bruce and the blond slut. "But we really should be getting back to the Tower. Your shwarma is getting cold," he continued, all but dragging Bruce away from the blond whorebag who was encroaching on his territory. Bruce looked a bit confused at Tony's behavior, but chalked it up to Tony being Tony.

Bruce was exceedingly confused, and it irritated him to no end. He was not a man who was easily confused, but he supposed he shouldn't be surprised when it came to Tony freaking Stark. One moment, the man was open and laughing and joking, and the next he was brooding and moody and surly and...angry, Bruce concluded as he looked up from his notes to peer at the billionaire, who was glaring at a piece of metal as though it had fatally insulted him.  
Ever since they had left the lab for shwarma, over a week ago, Tony had been in a bad mood. He had snapped at JARVIS, Pepper, Bruce and even DUM-E more times than the doctor could count. As he bent over his notes once more, thinking about what had caused his friends sudden mood swing, and why it was hanging on so long.

He looked up again and caught Tony glaring at him with a ferocity that made him lean back. Tony looked away just as quickly as he had looked up, but Bruce knew; it was him. He was the reason Tony was in such a bad mood.

The thought stung, more than he had expected it would when he thought he would overstay his welcome. He felt tears stinging his eyes, and got up quickly and left the lab silently, wondering how Tony Stark had managed to slip past all the barriers he'd put up against exactly this event. He wasn't supposed to grow attached to people; he knew what happened when he got attached. It was just that much harder when he had to leave.

He reached his room, stubbornly wiping away the tears he felt threatening to spill over. He began packing his small suitcase with what little he had, thinking he might go back to India, or Burma. Somewhere no one knew him, where he could help the sick or something. He paused in the middle of the room for a second, closing his eyes as he let the pain sink into his chest; he'd been here for nearly ten months, and it had been unreal. Blissful, even.

He had never imagined he could be happy again, never thought he could feel like he belonged somewhere, never even dared to dream he could have a friend as good as Tony... He swallowed hard as he realized that Tony wasn't his friend anymore; that much was apparent to him. He knew hatred when he saw it, and it had almost burned his skin as when Tony had looked at him like that.

He took a deep breath, and knew that the ten months he had spent with the Avengers, with Tony, would always be something he held close to his heart, and he would never regret his decision to stay.

He picked up his suitcase, took a deep breath, and exited his room in Stark Tower for the last time.


	2. Chapter 2

Tony was fuming; it wasn't just the incident with the blond slut that had him chomping at the bit, even a week later. It was his own inherent inability to admit, even to himself, that he was jealous, because Tony-fucking-Stark was _not_ the jealous type. Bruce Banner was not his bo_y_friend, his lover or even a friend with benefits. There was no logical reason for Tony to be jealous; Banner could very well date whoever the hell he wanted, no matter how much it grated Tony's nerves and made him want to blow things up._  
_

He was ashamed of the way he had been acting toward everyone, especially Bruce, and damn it all if he could make himself stop. It was an instinct, to push away everyone close to him when he wanted them near the most. He just...didn't know any other way to express how inherently wrong it had felt to watch someone else flirt with the man he already thought of as the only one for him. After things had fallen apart with Pepper (they had parted amicably, both realizing that their union was one doomed to failure because Pepper couldn't deal with him being Iron Man, and Tony wasn't about to quit) he had thought he would just whore around for the rest of his life, because there was no one else he really wanted to be with.

And then Bruce, shy, bashful, brown eyed Bruce had plummeted into his life, saved him from certain death, and somehow managed to worm his way into the cold-powered Arc reactor that was Tony's heart. The billionaire knew he wanted Bruce, knew he wasn't afraid of the green rage monster he turned into, knew he was the only person that could put up with Tony's bullshit as well as Pepper could, but for the life of him, he didn't know how he would go about seducing the good doctor, or even if his advances would be welcome.

If there was one thing Tony Stark hated, it was feeling _helpless._

With a sharp, fierce growl, Tony threw the circuit board he was handling so hard it smashed into about a hundred pieces -a real feat, seeing as it was made of titanium and copper- and put his hands over his eyes and sighed heavily.

"Bruce, I can't take it anymore. I want... I want to be with you. Like, date you. Be science boyfriends...you know...and have anniversaries and make science and maybe have test tube babies and-"

"Sir, Doctor Banner left half an hour ago," JARVIS interrupted softly and Tony's head whipped up and sure enough, Bruce's work station was abandoned, notes and microscope deserted.

"Well, where is he?" Tony snapped in irritation.

"I don't know, sir. He packed his suitcase and exited the building twenty five minutes ago. I do not believe he planned on returning, as he took all of his possessions."

"What?!" Tony exclaimed, the knowledge that Bruce had just packed up and left without even so much as an "adieux" hitting him like a fist in the gut.

"Doctor Banner packed his su-"

"I heard what you said JARVIS!" Tony snarled, and he was up and pacing like a madman in the large laboratory. "Hack the city camera feeds; I want to know where he is and where he's heading, now!"

"Of course, sir," JARVIS replied in his cool, British accent, just a hint of worry leaking into the AI's voice.

Tony ignored the sound, the thought that he should reprogram JARVIS to get rid of that pesky emotion in the AI's voice shoved to the back of his mind as he donned his suit and blasted into the sky, headless of the damage he caused the plexiglass window he charged through.

Bruce sighed, smiling at the woman who was currently drawing out the contents of his bank account -everything that SHIELD had paid him in the eleven months he had been working as a super hero for them- and wondered if he could get a flight out of the country that day. He didn't want to linger in New York any longer than necessary now that he knew he was no longer wanted. He might be tempted to go say goodbye to one of his teammates -former teammates, he reminded himself harshly- and he just didn't want to go through that right now. He would write them, when he was away and settled in a small village somewhere, tell them how much they had each meant to him and how he had enjoyed their company.

But now, the wounds were still too fresh, too sharp in what he had thought was a deadened heart, and he couldn't face any of them, especially not Tony.

He took the stack of bills the teller handed him with a smile, and pocketed it. It was a little less than ten thousand dollars, enough for him to be set for almost a year in one of the third world countries he favored. He busied his mind with thoughts of how he would help whatever town he decided on, going through a list of countries that were in need at the moment as he walked down the street.

So absorbed was he in his thoughts of rebuilding his life that he didn't notice the tell-tale whistle of the Ironman suit until it had landed directly in front of him, cracking the cement slightly and leaving a small crater. Before Bruce could process what was happening, he had been swept up, bridal style, and they were in the air.

"Tony, what the hell?" Bruce exclaimed, his heart monitor beeping like a possessed demon. Bruce closed his eyes, trying desperately trying to keep a hold on his anger. This was okay. He had been in the air with Tony before. Tony wasn't going to drop him...he hoped.

"I could ask you the same thing," Tony snarled, his faceplate going back with an ominous snap. "You were just gonna walk out of the Tower without even a "Hey bro, this is lame I'm going back to the middle of fucking nowhere?"

Bruce flushed, his heart calming a bit as Tony landed atop a random building, dumping him on the ground unceremoniously, looking angry enough to pound Bruce into a bloody pulp.

"It's not like that," Bruce offered weakly, after a long pause in which Tony paced, his suit clanking obnoxiously, and Bruce's heart monitor beeped in the backround, a reminder of what would happen if he lost his temper.

"Then what was it like?" the billionaire bit out. "Tell me, because I really would like to know why the man I thought was my best friend would just walk out on me like we were nothing more than acquaintances."

Bruce bit his lower lip, the accusation hitting home, and he couldn't look Tony in the eye. "I...I thought I had overstayed my welcome." he muttered eventually. Tony let out a snort.

"Really, Bruce? Really? After all we've been through? After all the times I've told you that you're _always_ welcome in my home?" the Ironman barked. "I don't buy that shit. Tell me _why!_"

Bruce flinched at the hurt he heard in his friends voice and an overwhelming sense of guilt flooded him, effectively dampening his anger. "I thought...with the way you've been acting...that you...that you hated me..." he whispered, wrapping his arms around himself in an attempt to hold in the guilt and sadness that was trying to manifest itself.

"Hate you? _Hate you?!"_ Tony screeched and Bruce flinched, closing his eyes and biting his lip. There was a long, tense silence that grated harshly on the doctors nerves. It stretched on and on, into an interminable moment that seemed like the very essence of Hell, and he wanted to open his eyes and look at Tony, say something, anything, just to break that damnable science.

And then there were cold, metallic arms around his waist and Tony's hair was tickling his nose and he was putting his arms around the cold metal torso.

"I could never hate you Bruce," Tony murmured.

And Bruce believed it.

A/N: Thanks so much for your reviews! I've been on a scienceboyfriends kick, and I like angsty Bruce and dumb Tony so expect a lot of that. Reviews are like crack, so please give me my fix!


	3. Chapter 3

Bruce fell into an awkward silence the moment he got back to Stark Tower, and he found himself avoiding Tony as often as possible -which was more difficult than it would be for Steve or Clint to do, as they never ventured into the lab- and he kept their conversations short and to the point. He wasn't sure about the fragile truce they had come to, but Tony didn't seem overly inclined to go back to the way things were. There was, however, a marked improvement in his temper, and he seemed to always be walking on eggshells around Bruce.

He was used to that though, what with the Other Guy around and whatnot, but it wasn't the same when Tony did it. It was...somehow more focused on making Bruce feel welcome than keeping him calm. Though the two talked even less than usual, Bruce kept finding small things, like a box of his favorite chocolates on his dresser, or a new pair of Crocs that he refused to admit he liked but wore everyday, or a special order of pad kow just for him when Tony ordered Thai food. He knew this was Tony's way of apologizing -the man's ego would never actually allow him to say the words aloud- and he felt like he needed to apologize as well. The more he thought about it, the more he knew he should have talked to Tony about the look, about his bad mood, instead of just assuming and trying to skip town.

So, with a bit of persuading and a lot of bribery, (what the AI was going to do with his collection of jazz music, he would never know) he managed to get JARVIS to tell him what one of Tony's favorite items was, one that he didn't indulge in often.

"Hmm," Bruce murmured to himself as he let the information sink in. He would never have guessed that Tony would partake in such a...girly activity. Admittedly, as manly as Tony portrayed himself as, he really was a bit of a girl. His nails were always perfectly manicured, his hair had to be perfect or he threw an enormous hissy fit, he was always working out to 'keep his figure' and he was possibly the whiniest person on the planet when he didn't get his way.

Taking all that into consideration, this really wasn't that much of a surprise, Bruce thought in amusement.

He stood up and stretched, looking over at Tony who was experimenting with new repulsors, and smiled a bit. "I'm going out," he said, loudly enough to catch Tony's attention. The billionaire looked up, a slight worried furrow in his brow, and a question on his lips. "I will be coming back. I just need to go buy some tea," he reassured his friend and got a smirk in return.

"You and your fancy teas. I don't see the difference; they all taste like grass to me," Tony said and Bruce chuckled.

"That's because you've burned your palate with coffee and motor oil," he said as he exited the lab. Tony's laughter followed him out into the hall, and it was a comforting sound.

"Would you like me to bring Happy around with the car, sir?" JARVIS asked, and Bruce nodded.

"Yes, thank you."

The next hour and a half was spent hunting down several specialty shops in Manhattan, and then having the items he bought specially packaged and wrapped for him, because despite all his skills, the doctor was absolute shit at wrapping presents. When he returned to the Tower, he had JARVIS break him into Tony's room to place the package on his ridiculously large bed, along with a short note. Satisfied with his work, he smiled and returned to the lab, knowing full well it could be days before his present was discovered.

Tony was having a bad day. Not just a bad day, he thought, but a continuation of previous bad days and bad nights that had melded into one giant seething mass of intolerable badness.

His new repulsor design was turning out to be a failure, he hadn't managed to sleep in almost seventy two hours, and he was barely back on speaking terms with his best friend. He sighed, rubbing his eyes and looking over at the station, just ten yards away, that Bruce Banner sat, eyes squinting as he peered into a microscope, his hands scribbling notes that were only legible to him, his expression so focused it made Tony's head hurt for him. His heart gave a painful twist and he looked at the time, deciding that it was an acceptable time to call it quits and try to get some sleep.

"Well, good doctor, it seems like I'm out of gas. I need to go fill up," he said, smiling slightly as he referenced the conversation they'd had nearly two months ago, in which Bruce accused him of being a robot that ran on gasoline and he only "slept" when he needed more fuel.

Bruce looked up from his microscope and gave a smile that had Tony's heart all a-flutter. That was_ his _smile, the one that Bruce only ever graced him with and it made his stomach do questionable flip flops every time he saw it.

"Good. I think you need to refuel; you've been getting a bit stally on me," Bruce quipped back in his quiet, honey-like voice. Tony grinned at him before he left the lab, forgoing his usual trip up the stairs in favor of the elevator.

_Fuck, I must be tired,_ Tony thought to himself as he leaned against the cool metal of the elevator walls, his eyes threatening to fall shut on him. He didn't even think a healthy dose of caffeine would revive him from this lethargy. He was in the midst of an enormous yawn as he let himself into his room, blinking sleepily at his reflection in the mirror. He threw off his clothes unceremoniously and was about to throw himself on the bed with just as little regard when he noticed a small, probably sharp lump atop his sheets.

He clapped, and the lights in his room jumped on, revealing a small box with a note on top, baring his name in a familiar, almost illegible scrawl. Tony felt the grin tugging at his lips even as he picked the slip of paper up and opened it.

_Tony,_

_I know things have been tense between us, and I don't like it. You ARE my best friend, and I shouldn't have walked out like that. I'm not good with words though, so I thought I'd get you something you don't indulge in often._

_ -Bruce_

His curiosity burning in him like a wildfire after reading the note, Tony tore open the package with wild abandon, and felt his hands still and his heart pound harshly in his chest, causing the arc reactor to whir and glow brightly against the light in the room. He at once felt deeply touched and suspicious. No one but JARVIS and Pepper knew about his affinity for bubble baths and expensively scented candles...and Pepper was currently out of the country on a conference tour. Which meant JARVIS had to have snitched on him and that grated on Tony's nerves, but he couldn't muster the strength to get angry at his friend or his errant AI.

He popped the cap of a dark purple bubble liquid that was simply labeled "Moonlight" and inhaled, barely suppressing a decidedly un-manly moan of sheer delight. The scent was something between floral and musk, a delicious smell that Tony wanted to bathe himself in immediately, despite his tiredness and the chance of drowning in his own bathtub from sheer exhaustion. He sniffed the bottle once more, almost forlornly, before he replaced the cap and putting the rest of the products on his dresser for later use -he was definitely taking a bath after a good five hours of sleep- and closed his eyes, falling asleep with a smile on his usually smirking lips.

A/N: I'm sorry for the shorter chapter. I had orginally meant to add another Bruce perspective to this chapter, but it just wanted to end there...so yeah. I promise the next chapter will be longer! Also, the rating might spontaneously change to M because of future sexeh times. Review please! I need my druuuugs .-.


	4. Chapter 4

The next day showed a marked improvement to Tony's mood, Bruce decided. The billionaire sauntered into the lab, clapped Bruce on the back in that endearing way, and asked him how he'd hacked JARVIS.

"Why Tony, I'm afriad I don't know what you mean," Bruce said innocently. He hadn't made it to his bed the night before, or to sleep, and he was in that state of near-delerium that his best -and absolute worse- ideas came from. He usually tried to avoid getting this way -he was much more prone to diaherra of the mouth in this state- but he was riding a science high, and he was just so close to a breakthrough he could taste it.

"Uh huh. And I'm NOT a genius/billionaire/playboy/philantropist. Now, how did you do it?" Tony demanded and Bruce only grinned.

"Well, he IS your AI, so it was a simple matter of bribing him with the computer equivalent of a blow job," he said, and then his eyes widened comically as he realized what exactly he had said. "Erm. Uh, n-not that you could be h-hacked with a blowjob, I mean, you aren't that easy to, erm, you know hack or whatever the human equivalent of hacking is, I really didn't mean that you were a manwhore, even though you kind of are, but you haven't really been whoring that much recently which is weird because you're a pussyhound if I've ever met one and I've met Bill Clinton and...I should really just shut the fuck up now, shouldn't I?"

There was a long, awkward silence that followed Bruce's little speech that probably birthed about a hundred gay babies, and the doctor looked anywhere but at the billionaire, and the billionaire looked as if he were torn between laughing and being fatally insulted...when the deep baritone of his echoing chuckle reached Bruce's ears though, the doctor found he could breathe right again. "Have you been hitting the peace pipe or something, Doctor Banner?" he asked, his eyes twinkling with familiar mischief, and Bruce was so damned relieved to see that expression he could have kissed the man, he didn't want things so tense anymore he loved the easy friendship they had, loved the way his friend laughed and joked and talked science with him, and wow his lips were so soft and pliant, and...wait, what?

It had taken nearly a whole minute of being plastered against Tony's lips to realize that he hadn't just thought he could kiss the man, he had actually KISSED Tony-fucking-Stark. And not only was he kissing Tony-motherfucking-Stark, he was being kissed back. The realization hit him in the gut with all the force of a bullet, and he jumped back from his best friend as though electrocuted. His brown eyes were bright and wild, with all the sanity of a wounded wolf tha found itself cornered. "I, uh, I'm s-sorry I don't knwo what came over me- I should go," he said, and he fled the lab, heading straight for the Green Room, as the Hulk-proof room Tony had built for him had been dubbed, and locked the door.

His action caused a chain reaction in the room and there was various clicks and hisses as the windows and doors all sealed off with the clear alloy that somehow managed to withstand the force of the Other Guy and still be clear. Jazz music started playing softly in the backround, and Bruce threw himself down on the extra large, bolted down and nearly indestructable bed Tony had designed himself, his mind racing and a mantra of "stupid, stupid, stupid" escaped his lips. What the fuck was wrong with him, kissing his best friend like and attention starved teenager? Seriously, what the hell had gotten into him? He wasn't even attracted to Tony like that!

Was he?

"GOD MOTHERFUCKING DAMN SHIT FUCK!" Bruce screamed, punching the titanium bedframe, and yowling when the force made his knuckles crack in a way that was neither relieving or remotely enjoyable. His heart monitor spiked, the shrill beeping only serving to make him more pissed off. "I can't believe...best friend...hate myself...fucking idiot..." he growled, nearly inccoherent as he stripped off his clothes, not wanting to ruin and good pair of shoes or another shirt...he was down to three already, and he didn't want to go clothes shopping; he absolutely loathed clothes shopping.

Ironically, it was the thought of clothes shopping, coupled with a bit of sleep deprived delerium and irrational anger at how exceedingly stupid he had been, that caused the final transition from Bruce to the Hulk...and boy, was the Hulk pissed off.

"Hulk NO SHOP FOR CLOTHES!" he roared.

Tony was pleasantly bewildered. He had expected a few things when he had entered the lab that day but none could have come close to what had actually happened. He was still riding high on the fact that Bruce Banner had kissed him. For a full, blissful minute, the good doctor had been all tongue and teeth and hot lips, and it had been absolutely amazing. Better than anything he could have possibly imagined and most certainly better than any of his fantasies had ever been.

Despite the fact that Bruce had run off almost immediately after kissing Tony senseless, he was feeling better than he had in weeks. Months, even. And now that he knew that the good doctor wanted him too, he could begin to properly scheme and plot on how to seduce the object of his desire...which is exactly what he did for the next four hours. Bruce was shy, so something grand and big would probably be unwelcome, to say the least. He enjoyed the little things, but he also loved rich, decadent and severely expensive chocolates, even though he would never admit to such a thing. So, something small that held signifigant meaning for the both of them as well as a healthy dose of chocolate, and it had to be romantic...Bruce would respond well to romantic, Tony thought.

He was interupted in the middle of planning a moonlit mountaintop date by JARVIS, who sounded just a bit worried.

"Sir, Doctor Banner retreated to the Green Room nearly four hours ago, and has not managed to change back. He keeps asking for his "tiny tin man."

Tony scrunched up his nose and sighed, wondering why the Hulk would be so agitated as to ask for him. He had thought that Bruce had scuttled off to the Green Room for some alone time, not to actually transform...Worry tinted his brow as he thought of the implications. Had Banner really been angry enough with himself to Hulk out and stay that way for this long? Was he mad at Tony?

The thought was a daunting one, and he sighed as he touched his bracelet, calling his suit to him. When he was properly encased in the heavy metal, he made his way to the green room, making sure the door closed and sealed behind him before he made a noise to alert the dauntingly tall even when sitting green giant before him.

"Hey big guy. You called for me?" he said softly, and the Hulk turned his brilliantly green orbs on him.

"Tiny Tin Man!" the giant exclaimed, and picked Tony up by the waist with one enormous hand. Tony had expected as much when he had entered -the Hulk often asked for him when he wasn't angry enough to rampage- but he still found it disconcerting when he was lifted so easily. Realizing he wasn't in danger of being thrown about, as was sometimes the case, Tony let the face plate of the suit fall back with a click, and grinned at the big guy.

"Hey there, Hulkaroo. How's it going?" He asked, falling into an easy sense of safety as the giant cradled him against his expansive chest, almost like one would hold and infant.

"Hulk no happy. Hulk wanted Tin Man to make happy," Hulk said, his rough voice surprisingly soft. It wasn't often the Hulk showed this kind of gentleness, and it was horribly endearing.

"Well, I'm here now, big guy. Are you happy?" Tony inquired, feeling a smile tugging at his lips. Bruce didn't realize just how damn cute the Hulk was when he went all gentle-like. Hulk nodded his assent, and with a blindingly fast movement, had them both in the Hulk-sized bed, with Tony and his armor nessled snugly against the door-sized green chest. This wasn't exactly odd, as gentle, non-smashing Hulk was a bit of a cuddlebug, but this was the first time he'd ever cuddled with Tony in quite this fashion. The billionaire found it it...oddly comforting, actually. The jolly green giant had a soft smile on his massive face, an expression that softened his entire visage and made him look more human than Tony had ever seen him.

"Tin Man make Hulk happy. Tin Man make Bruce happy," the Hulk murmured, and Tony felt himself grin.

"You make me happy too, Big Guy," Tony replied, and this seemed to make him happy, as he closed his eyes, and began to snore in what Tony was sure was a world record. He shifted off the sleeping giant when he began to shrink and morph back into his favorite scientist. As much as Tony liked the position he was in, he didn't to crush the scientist.

Tony watched the de-transformation with fascination. He had seen Bruce Hulk out plenty of times, but watching him change back was a rare thing. It started with the slow shrinking of his muscles, the skin and bone slowly creeping back to Bruce-size, and his skin reclaiming its beautiful, milky white color last. Tony smiled as he watched Bruce sleep, realizing that, besides his special stretching boxers, he was mostly naked. When it became obvious that Bruce was going to carry on sleeping, Tony debated on whether or not to leave...and decided he didn't want to.

He smiled and left for a moment to remove his suit, and then returned, unashamedly curling up against Bruce. If the Hulk was allowed to do it to him, he was allowed to cuddle Bruce.

The first thing he became aware of was the all-over ache that always accompanied a transformation. The second thing he became aware of was the warm, heavy arm draped across his chest and the legs entangled with his. His eyes snapped open, and he looked down at the arm, knowing who it was connected to before he raised his eyes to look at the face of a sleeping Tony Stark. He stared, frozen, at the man for about ten minutes before he tried to extract himself from his friends grip.

"Oh, no you don't, Banner," Tony murmured, his voice heavy with sleep. "I haven't slept this good in years. You're staying right here."

Bruce stilled, and gulped, remembering what had happened before he flipped out, and looking at the billionaire speculatively.

"Tony."

"Hmm?"

"What are you doing?"

"Cuddling."

"Obviously. Why are you cuddling me?"

"Because, the Hulk gets to cuddle me. So by default I get to cuddle you."

"I see. And this has nothing to do with...earlier?"

"It has everything to do with earlier."

"I see." He didn't, really.

"Go back to sleep Brucey. We can talk later."

Sigh. "Okay."

A/N: I couldn't help myself...I had to throw in a little Hulk love. Thank you, everyone who has reviewed! You keep my addiction well fed and inspire me to write faster! Also, I want to warn you about possible future angst...because when I do angst, I do full throttle, in your face, suicidal, so-sad-you-wanna-cry angst.

Anyway, review if you like it n.n


	5. Chapter 5

Tony woke the next day -night, actually, it was three in the morning and the Tower was achingly quiet- Tony found himself in an odd position. Not only had he and Bruce shifted positions in their slumber, Bruce had somehow managed to completely ensconce the billionaire in his longer limbs. Tony found his arms crossed over his chest and held loosely with one of Bruce's hands, his back curved and pressed securely against the doctor's chest, his legs folded and entangled with the longer ones of Bruce. But, perhaps the most intimate touch of this embrace was the large, warm hand placed oh so protectively over the soft glow of the arc reactor.

Tony swallowed and gazed at the calloused fingers that covered the reactor, wondering why the thought of someone beside himself touching the device didn't fill him with the panic that it ususally did. Not just someone, he thought to himself. Bruce. Bruce was touching the reactor, protecting it, protecting Tony.

And that was okay.

He laid there, just enjoying the feeling of being held, of trusting someone else, until he felt Bruce begin to stir. He smiled to himself, and continued to lay still, feigning sleep like a champ. He wanted to know what Bruce would do when presented with a sleeping Tony Stark in his bed. A few minutes ticked by. Bruce was awake, shifting ever so slightly against Tony, his hands flexing slightly, almost as if he wanted to caress, or more. "I know you're faking."

Damn. "I am not faking anything, Banner. I'm just enjoying the warmth," he said with an internal grin. Bruce's hands flexed again, and this time his fingers did caress, his thumb brushing over the skin adjacent to the reactor. His nose brushed against Tony's neck as he shifted, and he was so close he could feel the doctors eyelashes against his cheek. They lay like that for a long moment, the room slowly filling with the soft light of daybreak, nothing but the quiet sound of breathing and the gentle whirring of the arc reactor breaking the pleasant silence.

He could get used to this, Tony thought. Just this quiet companionship, allowing his mind as well as body rest, firm in the knowledge that there was nowhere he had to be and no one he would rather be with in the moment. He had almost drifted back into slumber when Bruce stirred, his arms loosening their grip on Tony's torso. The billionaire gave a little noise of disappointment, the sudden lack of warmth causing him to shiver.

"We can't do this," Bruce whispered as he pulled his body away, his voice leaden with sorrow.

"Can't do what?" Tony demanded, his voice just as quiet, as if the both of them were afraid to disturb the moment by being too loud. "Can't enjoy each others company? Can't just live in the moment?" Bruce winced visibly, turning his head to look away, his prone body looking all the more vunerable in the dim light.

"We can't be...whatever this is. We're friends...best friends...but we can't..." his voice trailed off, and he closed his his eyes, a pained expression on his face.

"What, Bruce? What are you saying to me?" Tony demanded. He thought he knew where Bruce was going with this, was, in fact, painfully aware of where he was going with this, but he needed to hear it, had to hear the rejection in exact words.

"We can't be...and item," Bruce whispered, and he sounded broken, like a puppet who'd had had it's strings cut. Tony moved so fast it probably would have made Clint proud. He was leaning over Bruce, his bright brown eyes burning with their intensity, his breath coming in short, angry pants.

"And why not, Bruce? Give me one good fucking reason why not, because I fucking KNOW you're attracted to me." Bruce bit his lower lip, unable to meet those burning eyes, and good God, did he even know how broken he looked? How much Tony wanted to wrap him in his arms and rock him and tell him everything would be okay if only he would smile?

"I hurt everyone I love," the doctor murmured finally, his eyes shuttered and his shoulders hunched, the picture of defeat. Tony blinked once, opened his mouth, closed it, breathed through his nose slowly, and rolled off the bed, because he really did not want to throttle Bruce.

"Bullshit," he said at length, after pacing for a good ten minutes while the doctor stayed seated on the bed, his arms wrapped around his legs, and dammit Tony wanted to scream at him but he couldn't very well do that when he looked so damn defeated! "I call bullshit. That was seven fucking years ago, Banner! You can't keep basing everything off that when you haven't let yourself love anyone since!" He wasn't yelling, exactly, but his tone was intense enough to merit a wince.

"But I have," Bruce murmured quietly, looking down, his eyes taking on a haunted quality that Tony did not like at all. "Almost two years ago, I let myself love someone. And he took a bullet to the head because he wouldn't give me up to the police." Tony felt all his anger fading away, and before he really knew he was moving he had his arms around Bruce and he was holding him tightly, wanting that haunted look to just go away, so he could see Bruce smile HIS smile.

"I didn't know. I'm sorry. I didn't know," he murmured, kissing Bruce's forehead and rocking him. Bruce laughed, and it was a horrible thing, really, high and cruel and broken.

"How could you? There's so much you don't know, so much I'm not even willing to tell...there was another before him, a woman, who found me nearly dehydrated in the desert and nursed me back to health and I loved her, and they came looking for her and they threatened her and all I remember was a bullet in my side before He took over and when I came back to myself, she was dead, crushed by the Hulk..." A sob escaped Bruce's lips, and Tony felt his heart wrench painfully, and his hands smoothed over Bruce's back slowly, trying to sooth him.

"Bruce, none of that was your fault. You can't blame yourself for what the Other Guy does, or what other people do. You're too damn lovable for your own good; of course people would give their lives for you. Hell, I would. So would Thor, and Natasha and Clint if they had to. You deserve love, Bruce."

"No," Bruce murmured, and he pulled himself out of Tony's arms almost violently-almost because Bruce didn't have a violent bone in his body, no that was all the Other Guy. "No, I don't. I've h-hurt too many people, ruined too many lives to deserve love, Tony...I don't want to ruin anymore."

"You can't ruin my life, Bruce," Tony argued, his voice vehement. "You couldn't if you tried. I'm not that fragile, or that easily killed. I'm the fucking Iron Man!" Bruce looked at Tony, looked him in the eye for the first time that morning, and there was something dark and hunted in his eyes that made Tony's skin crawl.

"Maybe I couldn't ruin your life, no. But I could end it. Just one accident, just one careless move by the Hulk, without your armor, and that would be all it took." Tony took a step forward, his jaw set and his eyes fierce.

"I don't care, Bruce. You make me happy; no, more than that. You make me WHOLE. Complete. And I could care less that the Hulk is too dumb to realize what he can do to someone; there would never be an instance in which I wouldn't be in my suit around him!" Bruce's eye could have frozen the surface of Mercury, they were so cold in that moment.

"You may not care, Tony, but I can't take that risk. You mean too fucking much to me for this thing between us to be anything more than friendship. And that's it. I don't want you."

Maybe it was his tone. Maybe it was the complete lack of emotion in his voice, or maybe it was Tony's insecurity that made him believe it, but those last four words took all the fight out of him. The fire in his eyes dimmed, as if dowsed with water. His shoulders sank and his hands that had been curled into fists loosened. He gave Bruce one lingering, longing look, and then turned on his heel and walked out of the room, shoulders hunched and feet almost shuffling. Almost because Tony Stark didn't shuffle, and because yes, he did have some fucking pride and he wasn't going to let himself be drawn into depression by a few words, no matter who they had come from or how much the person who had spoken them meant to him. Numbly, he made his way to the lab and locked himself in, telling JARVIS to keep everyone, including Bruce, out.

*** Bruce watched Tony walk out of the room and the door shut behind him, unable to tear his eyes away from him. He continued to stare at the door long after Tony had left, and when he could take it no longer, the pain, the deep and horrible ache in his chest, he walked to the dresser, calmly asked JARVIS to discontinue recording his activities, and took the small box cutter from the drawer. He knew this wasn't the answer. He knew this would solve nothing, knew it would only end in the Other Guy having free reign for a while, but he was secure here. And when he was done thinking of all the reasons why he shouldn't do it, he did it.

It was a slow fight, to drag the knife from one cheek to the other, making sure to sever his jugular in the process. The skin and muscle gave way easily enough, but the pain roused the Other Guy from his sleep, and Bruce wanted to get all the way to the other cheek before he let him take control. When his task was finished, he still fought for his control, thinking that just maybe he could hold out long enough, keep him caged until the point of no return, maybe, just maybe, it would be over. Maybe he could be rid of himself, maybe he could just pass quietly into death and be allowed a rest. Be allowed to be rid of the Other Guy, of this curse.

The last thing he thought before he passed into oblivion was that Tony might miss him.


	6. Chapter 6

Tony was an expert at burying his hurt under layers of sarcasm and alcohol. He had been doing it for years, with his father, with the few people who had managed to ensnare his heart, with Pepper when they parted ways…

But for some inexplicable reason, when he tried to cover the hole Bruce's rejection had left with hard cynicism and whiskey, it just wasn't working. The ache was raw and sharp, digging brutally into the metal core of his heart and making him feel like he was dying from palladium poisoning all over again.

He downed another shot of whiskey, ignoring the annoying lilt of JARVIS's voice in favor of his iPod, the not at all vain sounds of Black Sabbath's Iron Man blasting in his ears. He felt the sting of tears in his eyes and he wiped them away with an angry growl. Tears had no place in his eyes; hell, he didn't even know _why _he felt so strongly towards that nitwit biochemist. No one had ever managed to weasel there way so close to Tony's heart, not even Pepper. What the hell was so special about Bruce-freaking-Banner?

As soon as he thought the question, answers starting rushing through his mind, making him remember the warm, happy feeling he always felt around Bruce now that he was without it. The way he could smile with just his eyes, or the crinkles that appeared around the corners of his mouth when Tony managed to get him to laugh, the exasperated look he adopted when he was trying to convince Tony to eat something after a science-induced fast that lasted more than thirty six hours, the fact that he cared enough to make Tony ate at all…

He let out a sharp, pained half-scream and swept the bottle of whiskey and shot glasses off the table in front of them, still far too sober and unable to stand being drunk. He hadn't noticed it, but when Bruce was around, he drank less. Originally, he thought it was guilt over the fact that Bruce couldn't get drunk, but now, barely tipsy and hating the feeling, he realized he drank less around Bruce because he didn't feel the _urge _to drink when the other scientist was near.

He swallowed, and made his way to his bed and flopped down unceremoniously, his face buried in the pillow as the full weight of that realization hit him. When Bruce was around him, _he was a better man._

And damn it all if he was going to let the doctor ruin that for him!

Tony felt a new determination settle in his stomach, and he took his earbuds out, and picked up the tablet near his bed. He wasn't about to let his best friend/potential lover ruin what they had going; he was going to make Bruce realized that they were good for each other, that they _could _work, and that Tony loved the stupid twit.

The billionaire's hands froze in his movements, his search for romantic gestures on Google forgotten as he let the full scope of that thought sink into his brain. Love? Did he really love Bruce Banner?

_Yes, _came the quiet reply in the back of his mind. He was definitely in love with the doctor. Why else would his rejection hurt like this? Why else would Tony's heart flutter every time he saw the man, his stomach drop whenever he thought Bruce was unhappy?

As new and odd as the revelation was, it didn't freak Tony out the way it had freaked him out when he realized he loved Pepper. In fact, to him, it seemed only natural. They were so alike, in so many ways, that Tony wasn't the least bit surprised he had fallen head over heels for the adorable- self-denying doctor. He returned to his search with a small grin on his face, quietly asking JARVIS what Bruce's favorite movie was, and began to plot the downfall of a one Doctor Bruce Banner.

Bruce awoke what seemed like hours later, dried blood on his chest and shoulders. He shuddered slightly and made his way to the en suite bathroom -really, Tony had spent entirely too much money on the Green Room, he only needed a little cage to throw his fits in- and turned the water up so hot it scalded his skin, washing away the evidence of his attempt at suicide.

He could feel the rage still boiling just beneath the surface of his skin, and he sighed to himself. The Other Guy was exceedingly pissed at him, and was holding a grammatically incorrect rant in the back of Bruce's head that he mostly ignored. It was _his _fault he had wanted to do it in the first place. It was his fault that he couldn't allow himself to love anyone for fear of their death. It was _his fault _Bruce couldn't have the one man he knew he would be destined for in another life.

Bruce bit down on his tongue and let out a frustrated growl. He sighed and scrubbed at his hair morosely, allowing depression to settle in over his heart. It was easier to be sad, to feel helpless, than to allow his temper to get the better of him. He didn't _like _being depressed, but it was preferable to the other option. He finished his shower and dried himself, scampering back to his regular room to drown himself in chocolate and self pity.

When he emerged from his room, two days and several boxes of chocolate later, he felt marginally better than he had before and hoped Tony had had enough time to cool off, because the science was calling to him. He made his way to the lab, sighing gratefully when he saw Tony wasn't there. Thank the gods for small blessings, he thought as he settled into his station and began going over his notes.

So emersed was he in his work that he didn't notice Tony had joined him in the lab for a good two hours, until said billionaire clapped him on the shoulder and spoke in his boisterous way.

"Hey, science bro, whatya say to some food? I know you haven't eaten anything but junk in two days, and I just ordered pizza," Tony said with a grin. Bruce blinked at him, having expected a lot worse of a reception the first time he and Tony had met after their not-quite-breakup. He frowned slightly at the billionaire, but found he couldn't muster the energy or will to say no to that grinning face. He nodded his aquinsensce and let Tony lead him into the entertainment room where a steaming pizza was waiting for them; half veggitarian, half meat lovers.

Bruce grinned at the concoction -it really was a horrendous looking pizza, but it tasted delicious- and was surprised at how easily he fell into his old banter with Tony. They talked about science, as usual, but they also reminiesed about the recent missions, and Thor's mishap with Tony's toaster, as well as the decline of creativity in Hollywood.

"I mean, seriously, everything coming out of that place is utter crap; even the movie they made about us was lacking, and it was based on something that was actually pretty awesome!" Tony ranted, and Bruce readily agreed, his hand brushing over the billionaires as he brushed some crumbs off his pants.

Tony was feeling pretty awesome. He had managed to coax Bruce into lunch with him, and it had gone much better than he had expected. He thought that Bruce would be acting skittish, and at first, he had been. But when Tony acted like everything was normal, so did Bruce. So, when Tony found them shoulder to shoulder, Bruce practically on his lap as he waved his arms about trying to get his point across, he felt a familiar flutter in his chest, and knew that _this _was how it was supposed to be.

"How about a movie?" Tony asked at length, after they had finished nearly all the pizza. Bruce grinned at him, and Tony thought he'd never seen anything sexier than that expression on Bruce's face.

"Sure. What do you have?" he asked and Tony snorted.

"Everything."

Snort. "Of course you do."

"Are you doubting me, Banner?"

"Of course not."

"Mhm. Sure sounds like doubt to me."

"You're imagining things, Stark. I think you should listen to Steve and get that MRI he keeps bagering you about."

"Oh, ha ha, Doctor. You're absolutely hilarious, you know."

"I'm well aware of that fact, Shellhead."

The two were reduced to immature giggles at the nickname, one Dr. Doom had dubbed him with a few months before. When their fit subsided, brown eyes met brown, and Tony felt the overwhelming urge to kiss the man before him, but he suppressed it.

"JARVIS, toll film," he said, and the lights dimmed and the wall screen flickered on and Tony tore his eyes away from Bruce and flickered to the screen.

"You didn't tell him what to play," Bruce murmured.

"He's on shuffle, Brucey," the billionaire murmured back. "Now hush, I like this one."

Bruce snorted as the opening music for Cinderella played. Tony was still a kid at heart.

A/N: I'm sooooooo soooorrrrryyy for the wait, my beautiful reviewers. Certain events have kept me from my keyboard, and I apologize deeply. I am back on the proverbial horse, however, and working on the beginning of the sequel of A Chemical Reaction; I don't wanna say too much, but this story is getting near it's end and the sequel may or may not contain copious amounts of the Stark Spangled Banner. Anyway, thanks for reading, reviews are drugs for me, and a happy end is on the way!


	7. Chapter 7

The days began to pass fluidly; Bruce was almost amazed when he glanced at the date in the corner of his computer screen and saw that it had been nearly three months since the Incident, as he had dubbed it. Instead of driving Tony further away, it had seemed to bring them closer. Tony was now the one dragging Bruce out of the lab every few days to eat and watch a movie, sometimes with the rest of the team, and other times just by themselves.

Bruce liked it when it was just them in the large entertainment room, sitting too close on the overstuffed couch, Tony whispering jokes in his ear as they watched. It was cozy, and oddly intimate; the low lights, the soft crunch of popcorn in his mouth, the heat of Tony's breath on his ear when he whispered his comments and critiques.

Bruce found himself allowing less and less distance between their bodies on the couch, until one night, as they watched The Princess Diaries, he found himself sprawled rather comfortably with his arm under Tony's back and his head resting on Tony's thigh, and the rest of his body sprawled on the couch. He hadn't really noticed his position until Tony tried to move and he made an irritated noise and clamped his arm around Tony's waist to prevent him from leaving.

Tony made a good pillow.

"Bruce?"

"Hmm?"

"I have to pee."

"So?"

"So you need to move."

"But you're so comfortable. Better than my pillow."

"Seriously dude, I'm gonna wet myself."

A groan. "Fine."

"I'll be right back. I promise."

Bruce grumbled to himself and moved enough to allow Tony off the couch and sighed to himself. The full impact of what he had just done didn't hit him right away. It was slow, warm and blissful as it filled him to the brim with contentment.

_I couldn't have chosen a better man to fall for,_ he thought sleepily, yawning as he kept one blurry eye on the movie and another on the return of his best friend. When Tony did return, Bruce made a big deal of placing his arm and head exactly where they had been before Tony had moved, and endured the chuckles and teasing comments he got for his trouble.

"Oh, shut up," he muttered as he finally settled back into the right position, his eyes half closing as the contentment settled over him even more. He was at peace, more at peace than meditating for any length of time had ever gotten him.

Bruce started slightly when Tony started stroking his hair, but the calming effect of the touch had him relaxing in seconds. His eyes closed for real, and he felt boneless as he lay there, just soaking up the attention and affection that was being given to him. He knew, in the back of his mind, that this wasn't really fair to Tony. He knew he couldn't give Tony everything he wanted, everything he deserved, but he couldn't help himself. Why shouldn't he take the affection and love that was being offered to him?

Why couldn't he be happy?

"This isn't so bad, is it?" Tony murmured, his fingers stilling on Bruce's scalp.

The scientist turned his head, opening his eyes slightly to look at the billionaire. "Hmm?" he asked, confusion evident in his brown eyes.

"This. This is what we can be, together. Just like this, but all the time," Tony said, and his hand was hot as it stroked Bruce's cheek. Bruce swallowed hard, knowing what Tony was getting at, and scared that he was unable to come up with the same excuses he had used three months ago.

"I...I don't know, Tony," he said softly, feeling his eyes sting with tears. He wanted to give in, he wanted it so badly...but there was the Other Guy, hanging over his head, keeping them apart.

"Yes, you do Bruce," Tony murmured, his voice soft, pleading. "You know we would be great together. Hell, we're practically already a couple! Just without the kissing and mind-blowing sex."

Bruce snorted slightly, and found himself unable to tear his eyes away from Tony's, and the longer he stared into those eyes, the faster he felt his resolve crumbling. It didn't help that they were so close, close enough to feel the tension boiling between them, close enough to _feel _the desire and the need and the _love _that they both exuded when near each other.

His fingers reached up, brushing against Tony's stubbled cheek, trailing back over his throat and into his hair. He stayed like that, for a long moment, just staring into Tony's eyes, feeling all his excuses fall away like so many leaves in October. He tugged Tony's head forward, leaning up from his position on Tony's lap, and their lips brushed together, just slightly, but it was enough.

Tony was ecstatic. His heart leapt and thudded in his chest like an ancient war drum, and he felt his fingers curl in that soft, brown hair that always smelled like apples and vanilla, and he roughly tugged Bruce into his arms more securely. He meant to keep the kiss chaste, he really did.

But when Bruce's lips parted, ever so slightly, he went a bit wild, pressing Bruce back into the thick cushions of the couch, his tongue probing the soft, wet cavern that seemed completely willing and ready for him.

Their teeth clicked and their hands roamed, and it was magnificent, and _God, _Tony could kiss Bruce forever and never tire of it. Fire and heat raced up and down his spine, crackling with the intensity of their passion. He groaned as he rutted against Bruce's hips, feeling the doctors want against his, and he bit his lip and suppressed a groan of loss when Bruce pushed him back.

He was about to open his mouth and protest, but he saw the warning flash of green in his best friends eyes.

"Sorry," he murmured, gulping and shoving his want back down his throat.

"I-it's okay," Bruce said, pulling further away from Tony. The billionaire would have complained, but he knew that if he pushed for contact, he might scare Bruce away.

"So...you want to give us a try?" Tony asked, bracing himself for rejection even as he was sure none would be forthcoming.

Bruce nodded once, a smile spreading across his face as the green faded from his eyes. He leaned closer, and pressed a shy kiss to Tony's cheek.

"I trust you," he murmured, and Tony felt a stupid grin spread across his face. He had been waiting a year to hear those words.

A/N: This is the last chapter of A Chemical Reaction; however, for all of those wanting a lemon, have no fear. I will be writing one, and tacking it on as an Epilogue shortly. Also, be on the lookout for A Primal Reaction, the sequel to this story. It will be under a Stony guise, so don't kill me too bad if you can't find it.


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